Condensed water collector

ABSTRACT

A compartment comprising at least one target area susceptible to condensed water formation includes at least one condensed water collector is presented. The condensed water collector comprises at least a first portion arranged to collect condensed water from the at least one target area and at least a second portion outside of the at least one target area. A porous material is arranged between the first portion and the second portion. The condensed water collector is configured to transport the collected condensed water. The compartment further including a condensed water remover configured to remove condensed water from the second portion thereby facilitating transportation of condensed water from the first portion to the second portion via the porous material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to EP 15186705.8, filed Sep. 24, 2015,which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to compartments including condensed watercollectors.

In some known compartments of analysis systems, e.g., reagent containercompartments or sample container compartments, the formation ofcondensed water can be an issue. For example, it can be necessary toaccess the interior of the compartment in order to access the containerstherein, e.g., to sample material from the containers. On the otherhand, an interior space of the compartment can be cooled. In thissituation, condensed water can condense. For instance, condensed watercan form near or at openings through which the containers inside thecompartment are accessed. The formation of condensed water can havevarious disadvantageous effects. For instance, condensed water can dripinto or onto the containers located inside the compartment or onto othersensitive components of the compartment and thereby interfere with thesampling process or damage components of the compartment. Condensedwater formation can also be an issue in compartments in many othertechnical systems.

Therefore, there is a need for a condensed water collector to guidecondensed water away from target area to a place where it can be safelydisposed that is simple and cost-effective.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, a compartment comprising at leastone target area susceptible to condensed water formation is presented.The compartment can comprise at least one condensed water collector. Thecondensed water collector can comprise at least a first portion arrangedto collect condensed water from the at least one target area and atleast a second portion outside of the at least one target area. Thecondensed water collector can comprise a porous material arrangedbetween the first portion and the second portion and configured totransport the collected condensed water. The compartment can alsocomprise a condensed water remover configured to remove condensed waterfrom the second portion thereby facilitating transportation of condensedwater from the first portion to the second portion via the porousmaterial.

Accordingly, it is a feature of the embodiments of the presentdisclosure to provide a condensed water collector to guide condensedwater away from target area to a place where it can be safely disposedthat is simple and cost-effective. Other features of the embodiments ofthe present disclosure will be apparent in light of the description ofthe disclosure embodied herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description of specific embodiments of thepresent disclosure can be best understood when read in conjunction withthe following drawings, where like structure is indicated with likereference numerals and in which:

FIG. 1a illustrates an example compartment including a condensed waterremover and a condensed water collector according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 1b illustrates a detail of FIG. 1a including a condensed watercollector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2a illustrates another example compartment including a condensedwater remover and a condensed water collector according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 2b illustrates a detail of FIG. 2a including a condensed watercollector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a portion of another example compartment includingthree condensed water collectors according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a third example compartment including a condensedwater remover and a condensed water collector according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a fourth example compartment including a condensedwater remover and a condensed water collector according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a fifth example compartment including a condensedwater remover and a condensed water collector according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of the embodiments, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in whichare shown by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, specificembodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical,mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the present disclosure.

A compartment comprising at least one target area susceptible tocondensed water formation can comprise at least one condensed watercollector. The condensed water collector can comprise at least a firstportion arranged to collect condensed water from the at least one targetarea and at least a second portion outside of the at least one targetarea and can further comprise a porous material arranged between thefirst portion and the second portion and configured to transport thecollected condensed water. The compartment can further comprise acondensed water remover configured to remove condensed water from thesecond portion thereby facilitating transportation of condensed waterfrom the first portion to the second portion via the porous material.

The compartment can have one or more of the following advantages.

Firstly, the condensed water collector can reduce a probability thatcondensed water drips or runs into places where it can damage thecompartment or material stored in the compartment (e.g., samples orreagents). In particular, in some examples of compartments condensedwater sources can be located directly over containers stored in thecompartment (e.g., condensed water sources can be located in openings toinsert pipetting devices into the compartment where warm and wet aircomes into contact with cooled surfaces of the compartment). In theseexamples, the condensed water collector can guide the condensed wateraway from target area to a place where it can be safely disposed of(e.g., by draining or evaporation).

Secondly, the condensed water collector can be configured and shaped tocarry the condensed water to any place inside or outside thecompartment. The porous material of the condensed water collector canoperate similar to a wick and transport the condensed water. In someexamples, the condensed water can even be moved upwards against theforce of gravity and/or over comparatively large distances (e.g., acrossthe entire height or width of a compartment). In this manner, thecondensed water collector can be flexibly adapted to a large number ofcompartment sizes and geometries.

Thirdly, the condensed water collector can operate without moving parts.This can make the condensed water collector less complex anderror-prone. In particular, in some examples, the condensed watercollector can transport condensed water out of the compartment in apassive manner (e.g., by capillary forces acting in the porous materialand/or gravitational forces) thereby superseding any additionalcondensed water management inside the compartment.

Fourthly, the condensed water collector can in some examples cooperatewith already existing components of a cooling system of a compartment ascondensed water remover. For instance, a fan of a cooling system of thecompartment can be employed to dry a region of the condensed watercollector. In addition or alternatively, a heat exchange of a coolingsystem of the compartment can be used as condenser to remove vaporizedcondensed water from air circulating in the compartment. In this manner,no, or only a few additional parts, can be required when implementingthe condensed water remover which can make the solution less complex andmore cost efficient in some examples.

The condensed water collectors can reduce a probability of the formationof condensed water drops or completely prevent the formation of drops ofcondensed water. However, this does not mean that the condensed watercollectors have this effect under all possible operating conditions. Itis clear that the formation of condensed water depends on thetemperature and air moisture inside and outside of a compartment. Thus,even if a particular condensed water collector avoids the formation ofcondensed water drops under certain operation conditions, it might notdo so under other operation conditions, e.g., if a level of moisture ora temperature gradient between a compartment's interior and the outsideenvironment exceed a predetermined limit. However, this does not meanthat such condensed water collector is not a condensed water collectoras described.

Moreover, it might be the case that the condensed water collectorscannot collect condensed water or reduce or prevent the formation ofcondensed water drops when an amount of condensed water removed by thecondensed water remover is insufficient. Again, this does not mean thatsuch condensed water collector is not a condensed water collector.

The compartments can be part of an analysis system. An analyzer or ananalytical work cell of an analysis system can be included partly orcompletely in a compartment. In addition, a compartment can includemultiple analyzers or analytical work cells.

An ‘analysis system’ as used herein can comprise a control unitoperatively coupled to one or more analytical, pre- and post-analyticalwork cells. The control unit can be operable to control the work cells.In addition, the control unit may be operable to evaluate and/or processgathered analysis data, to control the loading, storing and/or unloadingof samples to and/or from any one of the analyzers, to initialize ananalysis or hardware or software operations of the analysis system usedfor preparing the samples, sample tubes or reagents for said analysisand the like.

The term ‘analyzer’/‘analytical work cell’ as used herein can encompassany apparatus or apparatus component that can induce a reaction of abiological sample with a reagent for obtaining a measurement value.

An analyzer can be operable to determine via various chemical,biological, physical, optical or other technical procedures a parametervalue of the sample or a component thereof. An analyzer may be operableto measure the parameter of the sample or of at least one analyte andreturn the obtained measurement value. The list of possible analysisresults returned by the analyzer can comprise, without limitation,concentrations of the analyte in the sample, a qualitative resultindicating the existence of the analyte in the sample (corresponding toa concentration above the detection level), optical parameters, nucleicacid sequences, data obtained from mass spectroscopy of proteins ormetabolites and physical or chemical parameters of various types. Ananalytical work cell may comprise units for the pipetting, dosing, andmixing of samples and/or reagents. The analyzer may comprise a reagentholding unit for holding reagents to perform the assays. Reagents may bearranged for example in the form of containers or cassettes containingindividual reagents or group of reagents, placed in appropriatereceptacles or positions within a storage compartment or conveyor. Theanalyzer may comprise a consumable feeding unit. The analyzer maycomprise a process and detection system whose workflow is optimized forcertain types of analysis. Examples of such analyzer can be clinicalchemistry analyzers, coagulation chemistry analyzers, immunochemistryanalyzers, urine analyzers, nucleic acid analyzers, used to detect theresult of chemical or biological reactions or to monitor the progress ofchemical or biological reactions.

The terms ‘sample’ can refer to material(s) that may potentially containan analyte of interest. The patient sample can be derived from anybiological source, such as a physiological fluid, including blood,saliva, ocular lens fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, sweat, urine, stool,semen, milk, ascites fluid, mucous, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid,amniotic fluid, tissue, cultured cells, or the like. The patient samplecan be pretreated prior to use, such as preparing plasma from blood,diluting viscous fluids, lysis or the like. Methods of treatment caninvolve filtration, distillation, concentration, inactivation ofinterfering components, and the addition of reagents. A patient samplemay be used directly as obtained from the source or used following apretreatment to modify the character of the sample. In some embodiments,an initially solid or semi-solid biological material can be renderedliquid by dissolving or suspending it with a suitable liquid medium. Insome embodiments, the sample can be suspected to contain a certainantigen or nucleic acid. Samples and/or reagents can be stored incompartments in an analysis system.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1a-b , different embodiments of acompartment will be discussed. Subsequently, alternative or additionalembodiments of compartments will be detailed in connection with FIG. 2ato FIG. 6.

FIG. 1a shows a compartment 1 comprising at least one target area 6susceptible to condensed water formation. The compartment can compriseat least one condensed water collector 5 a-5 e. The condensed watercollector 5 a-5 e can comprise at least a first portion 10 arranged tocollect condensed water from the at least one target area and at least asecond portion 11 outside of the at least one target area and cancomprise a porous material arranged between the first portion 10 and thesecond portion 11 and configured to transport the collected condensedwater. The compartment can further comprise a condensed water remover 4,7 configured to remove condensed water from the second portion 11thereby facilitating transportation of condensed water from the firstportion 10 to the second portion 11 via the porous material.

The compartment 1 of FIG. 1a can comprise a plurality of condensed watercollectors 5 a-5 e. The operation of the condensed water collectors 5a-5 e and the condensed water remover 4, 7 in FIG. 1a will subsequentlybe discussed in more detail.

As can be seen in FIG. 1a , the compartment 1 can comprise a thermalinsulation 2 with a plurality of openings 6 arranged therein. In oneexample, the plurality of openings 6 can be configured to insert a tool(e.g., a pipette or a needle) into the compartment 1. As the interior 3of the compartment 1 can be cooled, condensed water can form in an areaof the openings 6. Without the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e, dropsof condensed water might form at the openings 6 and might drip into thecompartment 1.

However, in the compartment 1 of FIG. 1a , the condensed watercollectors 5 a-5 e can be configured to collect the condensed water atthe openings 6 (i.e., the target area). For example, the target area canbe located near an upper end of the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e(i.e., an end of the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e facing in anoutwards direction of the compartment 1). This can avoid or reduce theformation of drops of condensed water at or near the openings 6 of thecompartment 1.

In one example, the compartment 1 can comprise an analytical work cellof an analysis system for biological samples, or a portion of ananalytical work cell of an analysis system for biological samples. Inother examples, the compartment can be configured to store biologicalsamples, reagents to be used in an analysis process of a biologicalsample, or both. For instance, the compartment can be one or more of asample storage compartment, a reagent storage compartment, a reagentmanipulator compartment, a sample manipulator compartment and a qualitycontrol compartment.

However, in other examples the compartments of the present disclosurecan also be used in analysis systems of other samples than biologicalsamples or in systems that have other functions that analysis ofsamples. For instance, the compartments can be employed in systems wherematerial can be stored or transported under cooled conditions. Ingeneral, the compartments can be used in all systems includingcompartments susceptible to condensed water formation.

The condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e of FIG. 1a can have the form of aplug, or insert, and include a hydrophilic porous material. Thecollected condensed water can spread in the collectors 5 a-5 e todifferent outer surfaces of the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e whichcan form the second region of the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e(i.e., the region of the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e outside thetarget region where condensed water is collected).

In other examples, the condensed water collector can include acontingent element arranged adjacent to two or more of the openings(e.g., all openings such as the condensed water collectors of thecompartments of FIGS. 4 and 5).

In addition to the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e, the compartment 1of FIG. 1a can comprise a condensed water remover including a fan 7. Thefan 7 can be configured to generate a stream of air 12 passing over theouter surfaces (i.e., the second regions) of the condensed watercollectors 5 a-5 e. The stream of air 12 can vaporize the condensedwater stored in the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e and can, thereby;remove condensed water from the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e (asillustrated in FIG. 1b ). This removal process can allow the condensedwater collectors 5 a-5 e to collect new condensed water condensing atthe openings 6 (i.e., the target area) and to transport the condensedwater to the outer surfaces of the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 ewhere the new collected condensed water can be vaporized.

In other examples, the compartment 1 can comprise an air mover otherthan a fan (this is also the case for the other example compartmentsdiscussed). In general, the compartments can comprise any device forcreating a stream of air over the second region of the condensed watercollector. In addition, a stream of any other gas other than air can beused to remove condensed from the condensed water collectors of thepresent disclosure.

Returning to the compartment of FIG. 1a , the vaporized condensed watercan be transported by the stream of air generated by the fan 7 towards acondenser 4 arranged inside the compartment 1 where it can condense. Inthe example of FIG. 1a , the condenser 4 can comprise a heat exchanger 4of a cooling system for the compartment 1. For example, the coolingsystem can comprise a Peltier element 16 coupled to the heat exchanger4. A cool(er) side of the Peltier element 16 can be arranged adjacent tothe heat exchanger 4 to cool the heat exchanger 4 which in turn can coolair travelling through the heat exchanger 4. In this manner, one or moresurfaces of the heat exchanger 4 can sufficiently be cooled so that thevaporized water in the stream of air can condense at the one or moresurfaces. This process can extract at least a portion of the vaporizedwater from the stream of air. In one example, a temperature of the oneor more surfaces of the heat exchanger can be under about 10° Celsius(e.g., under about 5° Celsius). This can result in a temperature ofbelow about 15° Celsius (below about 10° Celsius) inside the compartmentin some examples.

The cooling system of the compartment can further comprises heatexchanger 8 and fan 9 arranged outside of the compartment 1 which can beconfigured to transport heat away from a warm(er) surface of the Peltierelement 16. However, these components can purely be optional in thecompartment of FIG. 1a . Other examples of the compartment 1 may nothave an outside heat exchanger 8 or an outside fan 9.

Moreover, the condensed water remover can also cooperate with othercooling devices than Peltier elements 16. In general, any cooling devicecan which provide cooling power to the compartment 1 can be used to coolone or more surfaces of the condenser of the condensed water remover sothat vaporized water can condense at the cooled one or more surfaces.

The compartment 1 can optionally comprises a drainage 15 configured todrain the condensed water from the interior 3 of the compartment 1. Forinstance, the condensed water can drip from the cooled one or moresurfaces of the heat exchanger 4 and collect in a lower portion of thecompartment where the drainage 15 can be located.

In the above manner, a probability for the formation of condensed waterdrops at the target area(s) can be reduced compared to compartmentswithout condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e. In some situations, theformation of condensed water drops can be avoided. The condensed watercollectors can comprise a first region near a target area to collectcondensed water and a second portion from which the condensed water canbe removed. However, this may not mean that the condensed water can onlybe transported towards the second region and only removed from thesecond region. Rather, condensed water may spread in the completecondensed water collector. In addition and alternatively, condensedwater may also be removed from the first region adjacent to the targetarea (e.g., by a stream of air).

The particular embodiment of the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e andthe particular configuration and arrangement of the fan 7 and the heatexchanger 16 can be modified in other examples. For instance, a shape ofthe condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e can be different from theplug-shape shown in FIG. 1a . It can be understood that, e.g., inexamples where no tool has to be inserted through the condensed watercollectors, the condensed water collectors may not require a centralopening. In addition, any surface cool enough to extract vaporized waterfrom the stream of air inside the compartment 1 can be used as condenserin other examples (e.g., a particularly cool portion of thecompartment's interior).

The compartment of FIGS. 2a-b is a variation of the compartment of FIG.1a . The compartment 1 of FIG. 2a can comprise an optional funnel 14 tosuck in air from an exterior of the compartment 1. The air sucked-inthrough the funnel 14 can be cooled (and optionally dried) at the heatexchanger 4 and circulated through the interior by the fan 7. Asdiscussed above, the circulating stream of air can remove condensedwater from the condensed water collectors 5 a-5 e.

In the compartment of FIGS. 2a-b the fan 7 can additionally beconfigured to generate an elevated pressure inside the compartment 1compared to an exterior of the compartment 1. This elevated pressure cangenerate a stream of air 18 out of the openings of the compartment 1 (asillustrated in FIG. 2b ). In one example, the fan 7 can move betweenabout 10 m³ per hour and about 500 m³ per hour of air (e.g., betweenabout 50 m³ and about 150 m³). This can further reduce an amount ofcondensed water, especially of dropping water, at the target area(s). Incompartments without elevated pressure, the stream of air passing overthe openings inside the compartment may suck in humid air through theopenings. This can result in additional condensed water formation in thearea of the openings.

The compartments of FIG. 1a or FIG. 2a can be varied in many ways. Forexample, the condensed water removal devices described can also bearranged in a compartment without openings. In one example, acompartment can be a closed compartment having a lid or door to accessan interior of the compartment. In these examples, the condensed watercollectors can be arranged at different target areas susceptible tocondensed water formation in the closed compartments. For example, thecompartment may comprise one or more target areas in particularly coldregions of the compartment. In still other examples, a compartment canhave other openings to an ambient environment than the openings tointroduce a tool (e.g., a pipette) in the compartments of FIG. 1a andFIG. 2 a.

After several embodiments of the condensed water removal system havebeen explained in connection with FIG. 1 to FIG. 2b , details of examplecondensed water collectors will be discussed next in connection withFIG. 3.

The condensed water collectors 5 a, 5 b, 5 c in FIG. 3 can be arrangedin an inside wall of a thermal insulation 2 of the compartment at theinward end of an opening for introducing a tool into the compartment.The condensed water collectors 5 a, 5 b, 5 c can provide an internalpassage for the tool to be inserted into the interior of thecompartment. In the example of FIG. 3 the internal passage can have aconical entrance adapted to receive a pipetting tool.

As discussed above, the condensed water collectors 5 a, 5 b, 5 c cancomprise a porous material configured to collect condensed water (in afirst region) and set free condensed water (in a second region).

The pore geometry and size of the porous material can be selected in anysuitable way to achieve this goal. The term “porous” may not be limitedto spongiform materials. Rather, a porous material can also includepores extending in only one dimension or only two dimensions. Moreover,a porous material can be ordered or non-ordered. For example, a porousmaterial can include a bunch of tubes extending through the material. Inother examples, a porous material can include a plurality of channelsextending through the material. In still other example, a porousmaterial can include a regular array of connected voids forming passagesextending through the porous material.

The porous material can have an average pore size of between about 1 μmand about 100 μm (e.g., between about 20 μm and about 40 μm). The term‘pore size’ can be defined as a diameter of a circle inscribing across-section of a pore of the porous material in a direction orthogonalto an intended flow direction of the condensed water. For example, inFIG. 1b and FIG. 2b , an intended flow direction of the condensed watercan generally be in a downward direction (i.e., in an inward direction)from a target area where the condensed water can be collected. Inanother example, in the area of the condensed water collector of FIG. 4extending through the wall of the compartment an intended flow ofcondensed water can point in an outward direction.

In some examples, a finer pore size can improve the condensed watercollectors' 5 a, 5 b, 5 c capability to transport condensed water overlonger distances at the expense of an amount of condensed water that canbe stored in the porous material.

In order to collect condensed water from the target areas and in orderto release collected condensed water to a stream of air circulating inthe compartment the porous material can include one or more open-poredsurfaces. In other words, a network of pores, channels, passages ortubes inside the porous material can be accessible at one or moresurfaces of the condensed water collector. For instance, in the exampleof FIG. 3 the condensed water collectors 5 a, 5 b, 5 c can includeopen-pored surfaces at surfaces of inner passages formed inside thecondensed water collectors 5 a, 5 b, 5 c and surfaces adjacent to theinterior of the compartment.

In one example, the porous material of the condensed water collectors 5a, 5 b, 5 c can be hydrophilic. The term ‘hydrophilic material’ as usedcan include materials that have hydrophilic properties as fabricated aswell as materials that are treated to exhibit hydrophilic properties. Inaddition, the term “hydrophilic material” can be used to describe ahydrophilic property of the material in its porous form as used in thecondensed water collectors. Some materials may not exhibit hydrophilicin other configurations (e.g., in the form of a flat surface) butnevertheless can be hydrophilic when brought into particular porousconfigurations. In other words, the hydrophilicity of the porousmaterials can in some examples be generated by the geometry of theporous material.

In some examples, the porous material can be permanently hydrophilic.‘Permanently hydrophilic’ can refer to a period of more than a week(optionally, more than one month) while the compartment including theporous material can be operated in an intended mode of operation. In oneexample, the porous material can comprise a hydrophilic coatingextending partially over or completely over a network of pores formed bya substrate material.

The porous material can comprise a ceramic material, a glass material ora plastic material, or a combination of two or more of these materials.Even though the preceding discussion of porous materials has involvedthe particular condensed water collectors shown in FIG. 3, the differentaspects of the porous materials may not be limited to this particularform of condensed water collectors. Rather, porous materials asdiscussed above can also be used in the other condensed water collectorsdiscussed.

The condensed water collectors 5 a, 5 b, 5 c of FIG. 3 (or any othercondensed water collector of the present disclosure) can be fabricatedby injection molding, milling or sintering, or by a combination of thesetechniques.

In the preceding passages properties that the porous material of thecondensed water collector may exhibit have been discussed in connectionwith the example condensed water collector of FIG. 3. Subsequently,several alternative geometries of condensed water collectors andcondensed water removers will be discussed in connection with FIG. 4 toFIG. 6.

In FIG. 4, the condensed water collector 5 can have an elongated shapeand can extend through a wall of the compartment 1. The condensed watercollector 5 can be configured to collect condensed water at multipletarget areas at openings of the compartment 1. However, in otherexamples, the target areas can also comprise other areas inside acompartment susceptible to condensed water formation (e.g., in acompartment without openings).

Moreover, the condensed water collector 5 can be configured to transportthe collected condensed water towards a second region 11 which can bearranged outside of the compartment 1. Optionally, the condensed watercollector 5 can be arranged so that between the target areas and thesecond region 11 outside the compartment 1 condensed water cannot be setfree from the condensed water collector 5. For example, the porousmaterial of the condensed water collector 5 can be closed-pored atsurfaces between the target areas and the second region outside thecompartment 1. In addition or alternatively, the porous material of thecondensed water collector 5 can be coated at surfaces between the targetareas and the second region outside the compartment 1.

Furthermore, the compartment 1 of FIG. 4 can comprise a differentarrangement of a condensed water remover compared to the compartments ofFIG. 1a and FIG. 2a . The condensed water remover of FIG. 4 can bearranged outside of the compartment 1. For example, the condensed waterremover can include a fan 7 (or another air or gas moving device) and aheat exchanger 4 arranged at least partially outside of the compartment.In addition, the condensed water remover can cooperate with a Peltierelement 16 arranged in a wall of the compartment 1. In the example ofFIG. 4, the fan 7 can move air through the heat exchanger 4 which can bein contact with a warm surface 19 of a Peltier element 16. The warmsurface 19 of the Peltier element 16 can heat the air which can besubsequently moved in the direction of the second region 11 of thecondensed water collector 5 arranged outside of the compartment 1.There, the stream of heated air 12 can vaporize the condensed waterstored in the second region 11 and transport the vaporized condensedwater away from the condensed water collector 5. The condensed watercollector 5 can comprise optional holes, or other openings, at thesecond region 11. This can increase a surface of the condensed watercollector 5 exposed to the stream of air 12 and, in turn, an amount ofcondensed water vaporized from the second region 11.

As stored condensed water is removed from the condensed water collector5 by the stream of air 12 generated by the fan 7, the condensed watercollector can again be put into condition to collect condensed water atthe target areas 10 inside the compartment 1. The condensed watercollector 5 can under some operational conditions generate a continuousstream of condensed water from the interior of the compartment 1 to theoutside space. In some examples, a formation of condensed water drops atthe openings of the compartment 1 can be avoided.

In this manner, the condensed water remover can be formed without addinga substantial number of new components, by using components of thecooling device of the compartment. This can also be the case in theexamples of FIG. 1a and FIG. 2a where the fan and heat exchanger can bearranged inside the compartment. The double use of some components forcooling and condensed water management can reduce a complexity of acompartment compared to examples where both functions are separate.

However, in other examples, the parts of the condensed water managementremover can be dedicated components of the condensed water remover (andthe compartment can comprise an additional cooling device). In oneexample, a stream of air removing collected condensed water from thecondensed water collector 5 can be generated by a dedicated fan or otherair mover of a condensed water remover. In still other examples, thestream of air can be generated by a fan or air mover of a differentcomponent than the cooling system of the compartment (e.g., a fan of acooling system of a processing unit of an analysis system).

The compartment 1 of FIG. 4 may not have an internal fan or other airmover to circulate air inside the compartment (as shown, e.g., in thecompartments of FIG. 1a and FIG. 2a ). Rather, the compartment 1 cancomprise a thermally conductive element 17 (e.g., a metal element)coupled to the Peltier element 16 and extending inside the compartment1. The cool(er) surface of the Peltier element 16 can cool the thermallyconductive element 17 and thereby the interior of the compartment 1.

In other examples, the arrangements of the compartments of FIG. 1a orFIG. 2a and FIG. 4 can be combined. For instance, a condensed waterremover can comprise an outside condensed water remover arranged outsideof the compartment and an inside condensed water remover arranged insidethe compartment. Accordingly, a condensed water collector can beconfigured to transport collected condensed water to second regionsoutside of the compartment and inside of the compartment. In oneexample, the condensed water remover can comprise one fan arrangedoutside of the compartment configured to generate a stream of air over asecond region of the condensed water collector outside of thecompartment and a second fan configured to generate a second stream, ofair over different second regions inside the compartment.

In the preceding examples condensed water removers including a fan (orother air movers) have been discussed. In addition or alternatively, thecondensed water removers described herein can comprise one or moreheaters arranged to heat the second region of the condensed watercollectors. For example, the one or more heaters can be arrangedadjacent to the second region (e.g., the second region outside of thecompartment shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5). As the second region of thecondensed water collector is heated by the one or more heaters,collected condensed water can evaporate out of the second region.

A further example of a compartment is shown in FIG. 5. The condensedwater remover of the compartment 1 can be an external condensed waterremover as discussed in connection with FIG. 4. Furthermore, the shapeof the condensed water collector 5 can be similar to the shape of thecondensed water collector of FIG. 4.

However, the condensed water collector of FIG. 5 may not be attached toan inside wall of the compartment 1. Rather, the condensed watercollector 5 can form a part of a wall of the compartment 1 (a part ofthe lid of the compartment in the example of FIG. 5). Moreover, athermal insulation 2 of the compartment may not extend over thecondensed water collector. In other words, the condensed water collector5 can form a part of an outside wall of the compartment 1. In thisexample, the condensed water collector 5 can provide for thermalisolation in the area of the outside wall formed by the condensed watercollector 5.

In the example of FIG. 5, the condensed water collector 5 can collectcondensed water in a target area adjacent to openings 6 of thecompartment 1 and transport the collected condensed water towards thesecond region 11 outside of the compartment as discussed in connectionwith the compartment of FIG. 4.

In addition, the condensed water collector 5 of FIG. 5 can also beconfigured to transport collected condensed water towards an outersurface adjacent to the exterior of the compartment (e.g., an uppersurface of the condensed water collector 5 in FIG. 5). At this outersurface collected condensed water can vaporize into the ambientatmosphere.

In other examples, an outside surface of the condensed water collector 5away from the target area and the second region can be at leastpartially closed-pored so that collected condensed water cannotevaporate at the outer surfaces. In still other examples, an outsidesurface of the condensed water collector 5 away from the target area andthe second region can be at least partially coated with an impermeablecoating so that collected condensed water cannot evaporate.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the condensed water collector 5 forming a partof the outer wall of the compartment can also comprise a second regionoutside the compartment as discussed in FIG. 4. In addition oralternatively, the condensed water collector 5 of FIG. 4 can be combinedwith a condensed water remover generating a stream of air inside thecompartment 1 as shown in FIG. 1a or FIG. 2 a.

In still other examples, the condensed water collector can form anintegral part of a wall of the compartment in a different manner asshown in FIG. 5. For example, a compartment having one or more openingscan comprise one or more condensed water collectors and each condensedwater collector can form a portion of the wall of the compartment in anarea of the one or more openings. For instance, the condensed watercollectors can form an area of the wall of the openings for insertion ofa tool shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 2 a.

In still other examples, the compartment may not have an “active”condensed water remover arranged outside of the compartment (e.g., thecompartments of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 can also operate without the outsidefans and heat exchangers). In these examples, a warmer and/or drierambient atmosphere compared to the atmosphere inside the compartment cancause evaporation of collected condensed water from the second region ofthe condensed water collector outside of the compartment.

In one example, a compartment can comprise at least one condensed watercollector. The condensed water collector can have a first portion insidethe compartment and a second portion extending through a wall of thecompartment outside of the compartment and a porous material configuredto collect condensed water that condenses inside the compartment andguide it towards the outside of the compartment.

This example of a compartment without an “active” condensed waterremover can be combined with all features described herein forcompartments having an “active” condensed water remover.

FIG. 6 shows a further example of a condensed water collector of thepresent disclosure. The compartment of FIG. 6 can comprise furtheradditional aspects of the condensed water management system of thepresent disclosure.

On the one hand, the compartment 1 of FIG. 6 can comprise twosub-compartments 1 a, 1 b. In addition, the condensed water collector 5of FIG. 6 can be a condensed water collector including multipleportions. Last, the compartment 1 of the example of FIG. 6 can comprisea condensed water remover in the form of condensing zone 53 to condensewater stored in the condensed water collector 5. Even though thesedifferent features are shown in the compartment of FIG. 6 incombination, a compartment can also comprise only one or only two ofthese features. In addition or alternatively, the compartments of FIG.1a to FIG. 5 can also have one or more of the features of thecompartment of FIG. 6. For instance, the compartments of FIG. 4 or FIG.5 can comprise two or more sub-compartments and/or a multipartitecondensed water collector as shown in FIG. 6.

In the example of FIG. 6, the two sub-compartments 1 a, 1 b can eachhave one or more openings 6 a, 6 b arranged to access the interior ofthe respective sub-compartment 1 a, 1 b. The condensed water collector 5can extend continuously past the openings 6 a, 6 b of the first andsecond sub-compartments to collect condensed water at each of theopenings 6 a, 6 b. In other examples, the sub-compartments 6 a, 6 b caneach comprise one or more dedicated condensed water collectors. Inaddition or alternatively, the compartment can comprise more than twosub-compartments and a single condensed water collector arranged tocollect condensed water from a target area in each of the more than twosub-compartments.

Moreover, the condensed water collector 5 of FIG. 6 can form a part ofthe wall of the second sub-compartment 1 b while it can be covered by athermal insulation 2 in the area of the first sub-compartment 1 a. Forinstance, the first sub-compartment 1 a can be cooled to a coldertemperature than the second sub-compartment and hence can require abetter thermal isolation. In other examples, the condensed watercollector can form a part of the wall of both (or more than two)sub-compartments. In still other examples, the condensed water collectorcan be covered by a thermal insulation of the respective compartment inboth (or more than two) sub-compartments.

Moreover, the condensed water collector of the compartment of FIG. 6 cancomprise multiple portions. For instance, a first portion 51 of thecondensed water collector can be configured to move the collectedcondensed water at least partially in an uphill direction. This uphilltransport can be affected by capillary forces in the porous material ofthe condensed water collector 5. The condensed water collectors shown inconnection with FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 can also have portions adapted totransport collected condensed water in an uphill direction in someexamples. For instance, a condensed water collector can adapt to a shapeof the interior of a compartment (e.g., a shape of the upper part of thecompartment's interior).

In addition, the condensed water collector 5 of FIG. 6 can comprise asecond portion 52 in which the collected condensed water can betransported in a downhill direction. This downhill transport of thecondensed water can be affected by gravitational forces, by capillaryforces or a combination of both. Again, a portion in which the collectedwater can be transported in a downhill direction can also be employed inthe compartments of FIG. 1a to FIG. 5 (e.g., to transport the collectedcondensed water to a second portion in a particular position where thecondensed water remover of the compartment can remove collectedcondensed water from the water collector).

Lastly, the condensed water collector 5 of FIG. 6 can be coupled to acondensed water remover 53 in the form of a condensing zone for thecollected condensed water. In the example of FIG. 6, the condensing zonecan form a pointed surface at which condensed water droplets can form.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the condensing zone can be formed inside adrainage 15 in the wall of the compartment 1. The condensed water candrip from the condensing zone and can be collected outside of thecompartment 1. In this manner, the condense water can be removed fromthe compartment 1 to an outside environment. In other examples, thecondensed water remover 53 in the form of a condensing zone can beformed outside of the compartment.

In other examples, condensed water can be collected in a containerarranged inside the compartment. The container can be configured to beremovable from the compartment to dispose the collected condensed water.In other examples, the container can be connected to a pumping circuitto remove the condensed water. A container to collect condensed watercan also be used in the other compartments described (e.g., thecompartments of FIG. 1a or FIG. 2a ).

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the condensed water remover 53 can be spacedapart from the target region where condensed water can be collected. Inthis manner, it can be prevented that condensed water drops form incritical areas inside the compartment.

As the compartment of FIG. 4 and the compartment of FIG. 5, forinstance, a Peltier element 16 can cool a thermally conductive element17 (e.g., a metal element) which, in turn, can cool the interior of thesub-compartments 1 a, lb. A warm surface 19 of the Peltier element 16can optionally by equipped with heat exchanger 4 and a fan 7 to removeheat from the warm surface 19 of the Peltier element 16.

In other examples the condensed water collector of FIG. 6 can becombined with the active cooling of the compartment's interior discussedin connection with FIG. 1a or FIG. 2a . For example, the condensed watercollector can transport condensed water directly to the drainage 15 orre-collect condensed water vaporized by a stream of air circulatinginside the compartment 1.

In still other examples, the condensed water collectors described hereincan combine one or more condensed water remover in form of acondensation zone (e.g., as in the compartment of FIG. 6) with one ormore second regions outside the compartment (e.g., as in thecompartments of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5). In general, the compartmentsdescribed herein can employ different types of condensed water removersor more than one of a predetermined type of condensed water remover inparallel.

It is noted that terms like “preferably,” “commonly,” and “typically”are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimed embodiments orto imply that certain features are critical, essential, or evenimportant to the structure or function of the claimed embodiments.Rather, these terms are merely intended to highlight alternative oradditional features that may or may not be utilized in a particularembodiment of the present disclosure.

Having described the present disclosure in detail and by reference tospecific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications andvariations are possible without departing from the scope of thedisclosure defined in the appended claims. More specifically, althoughsome aspects of the present disclosure are identified herein aspreferred or particularly advantageous, it is contemplated that thepresent disclosure is not necessarily limited to these preferred aspectsof the disclosure.

We claim:
 1. A compartment, wherein the compartment is one or more of asample storage compartment, a reagent storage compartment, a reagentmanipulator compartment, a sample manipulator compartment and/or aquality control compartment, the compartment comprising: at least oneopening configured to insert a tool into the compartment, wherein the atleast one opening is a target area susceptible to condensed waterformation; at least one condensed water collector having a shape of aplug with a through-going hole, wherein the condensed water collectorcomprises at least a first portion arranged on the at least one openingto collect condensed water from the at least one target area and atleast a second portion outside of the at least one target area andwherein the condensed water collector comprises a porous material beingarranged between the first portion and the second portion and beingconfigured to collect condensed water in the first portion and beingconfigured to transport the collected condensed water from the firstportion to the second portion and to set free condensed water from thesecond portion; a condensed water remover configured to remove condensedwater from the second portion thereby facilitating transportation ofcondensed water from the first portion to the second portion via theporous material, wherein the condensed water remover comprises a fanconfigured to generate a stream of gas over the second portion forfacilitating evaporation of condensed water collected by the porousmaterial from the at least one condensed water collector and a condenserarranged inside the compartment configured to remove vaporized condensedwater from the stream of gas circulating in the compartment; and whereinthe condensed water remover comprises a warm surface of a Peltierelement configured to heat the second portion for facilitatingevaporation of condensed water collected by the porous material from thecondensed water collector.
 2. The compartment according to claim 1,wherein the condensed water collector extends through a wall of thecompartment to place the second portion of the porous material outsideof the compartment.
 3. The compartment according to claim 1, wherein theporous material is adapted to transport the collected condensed water atleast partially by capillary forces.
 4. The compartment according toclaim 1, wherein the compartment includes a plurality of openings astarget areas and wherein the condensed water collector comprises aplurality of first portions arranged in the plurality of openings tocollect condensed water at each of the plurality of openings.
 5. Thecompartment according to claim 1, wherein the condensed water collectoris an integral part of the walls of the compartment.
 6. The compartmentaccording to claim 1, wherein the condensed water collector includes anelement extending in an upward direction and configured to guidecondensed water in the upward direction by capillary forces.
 7. Thecompartment according to claim 1, wherein the target area includes oneor more openings in the compartment and wherein the compartment isconfigured to be pressurized to generate a stream of gas from theinterior of the compartment through the one or more openings.
 8. Thecompartment according to claim 1, wherein the second portion extendstowards and/or through a drainage hole of the compartment inside thecompartment or outside the compartment.
 9. The compartment according toclaim 1, wherein the porous material has an average pore diameterbetween 10 μm and 100 μm.
 10. The compartment according to claim 1,wherein the porous material is hydrophilic.
 11. The compartmentaccording to claim 10, wherein the porous material includes ahydrophilic coating.
 12. The compartment according to claim 1, whereinsurfaces of the condensed water collector where condensed water is to becollected are open-pored.
 13. The compartment according to claim 1,further comprises, at least one condensing zone to condense waterremoved from the condensed water collector.
 14. The compartmentaccording to claim 13, further comprises, a drainage to drain the watercondensed in the at least one condensing zone out of the compartment.15. The compartment according to claim 1, wherein the at least onecondensed water collector and the condense water remover are configuredto prevent dropping of condensed water inside the compartment.